The third baseman is doing his helicopter imitation

March 22, 2015

The state championship lies on the line. Two teams walk toward the dugouts, put their bats in the racks, place their helmets carefully on the metal shelves, look around to familiarize themselves with the battleground. After carefully timed warmups, one team takes the field and the other goes to the dugout, anxiously awaiting their times at bat.

The state championship lies on the line. Two teams walk toward the dugouts, put their bats in the racks, place their helmets carefully on the metal shelves, look around to familiarize themselves with the battleground. After carefully timed warmups, one team takes the field and the other goes to the dugout, anxiously awaiting their times at bat.

The stands are filled with shouting, cheering families and friends who understand the significance of the game: state championship. Many of them have teeshirts on with large numbers that match numbers on the field. Scrawled across the teeshirts are, “Adams Dad,” “Jeromes Mother,” Alexs Grandad,” “Billys Third Cousin.” Many of them call out, “Come on… (fill in the blank).” Ive never understood how “Come on” can be an encouragement to a player, but that is what fans and family say.

Meanwhile, on the field, the third baseman does his imitation of a helicopter. He spins around until he almost falls, then stops and smiles in satisfaction.

The left fielder has found a bug on the ground and intermitantly tries to catch it, stomp it.

The second baseman kicks a hole in the ground and spits his gum into it and then starts kicking dirt back into the hole and over the gum.

The center fielder and right fielder are in deep conversation and do not hear the coach yelling for them to save their talking for the trip home.

Meanwhile, parents begin the time-honored tradition of yelling instructions to their chldren.

“Jerome, you listen to me. Jerome. Listen. Jerome, if you do not listen to me… Jerome, do you hear me. Jerome… Jerome…”

Even the coaches have trouble getting the players attention. Each time a runner makes it to second, the third base coach yells to him: “Stay. Stay. Do not run. Stay on the base. Stay. Do not run until I tell you.” The runner would nod his understanding and willingness to follow the coachs command. Inevitably, as soon as the batter touches his bat to the ball, the runner was off and running, regardless of what the coach said.

At one point, a batter hit the ball to a spot between the pitcher and the third baseman. The left fielder had time to run all the way in and pick up the ball and throw it home because all the infielders were trying to figure out where the 3rd of July fireworks were coming from.

One boy got a solid hit and started running, as best he could, to first. His much-too-large helmet makes his head wobble like one of those dogs in the back window of a 57 Chevy. He eventually makes it to second. The next player gets a great hit and runs so fast, he catches the wobbler several steps from home plate and pushes him across.

Two runs score because the left fielder and the center fielder get into a fight over who is going to field the ball.

The second baseman cries out to his mother, “Mommy, I gotta go reeeealy bad. I gotta go now.”

All this time, people in the stands cheer every move the players make. Every run that crosses the plate brings one half of the bleachers to its feet.

Finally, the game is decided by a 23 to 22 score.

Obviously, the game was not a major league tussle. It was, in fact, wee-tee ball with players ranging from three- years-old to five-years-old. When the game ended, parents and friends of the team with the most runs went wild. The players did not, at first. One boy looking like a minature major leaguer with a puzzled look on his face walked over to his mother and asked, “Did we win?” He had not played to win or lose, but to try to hit and catch the ball and run the bases, even when his coach screamed for him to, “Stay!” One wonders how a game ever occurred.

Watching those kids enjoy all their distractions while the coaches tried to make a game happen reminded me of the church today. We enjoy our distractions more than the main business. Thank God, somehow He makes something of it in spite of the team He has on the field. And, like the wee-tee player, we do not know if we are winning or losing.

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Editorial

By Waylon Bailey
The Apostle James prepared the people of his day and all those believers who have followed after to resist the devil and to live for God in a culture that opposes God. He gave amazing advice which fits any people at any time (James 4:7-10).
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